We’re Hiring!: Policy and Communications Officer (Windrush Justice Programme)

ARE is a national race equality charity and our mission is to end race inequality. We work collaboratively to support, empower and inspire young people and strengthen civil society organisations that support them.

The Windrush Justice Programme:

In June 2020, Windrush lawyer and campaigner Jacqueline McKenzie began work to research and explore the landscape for grassroots organisations working on the implications of the Windrush scandal.

The report highlighted how, with little to no resources, the work of grassroots organisations has been remarkable. Their work, particularly their activism, has enabled the issues to be kept in the public domain and has brought pressure to bear on government.

Action for Race Equality’s Windrush Justice Programme distributes small grants and provides bespoke organisational development support to grassroots organisations that support people with their applications to the Windrush Schemes.

Policy & Communications Officer (Windrush Justice Programme)

This is an excellent opportunity to work at the national level for a valued charity with effective links to national, regional and local government, and Windrush advocates, through our leading Windrush Justice Programme.

The postholder will have a strong interest in racial justice. We apply an intersectional approach to everything we do. You will work closely with the Windrush Policy Manager, Communications team, and senior leadership team, the grassroots groups and organisations on ARE’s Windrush Justice Programme, civil society partners and government officials to develop evidence-based positions and use them to influence government policies at all levels and develop practical solutions to improve outcomes for people affected by the Windrush Scandal.

Salary: £30,000- £35,000 per annum

Contract length: 1-year fixed term

Hours: 35 hours per week (secondment will be considered)
Location: Hybrid – 3 days in King’s Cross office, 2 days remote

Reports to: Windrush Policy Manager and works closely with the Head of Communications.

Other benefits:

• Employer pension contribution 8%

• 28 days annual leave, plus 8 bank holidays per year
• Monthly all-staff training and learning sessions

As Policy & Communications Officer (Windrush Justice Programme) you will be required to produce quality policy briefings, letters, social posts and news updates, and organise parliamentary events and roundtables.

You will also collate information and evidence from groups on our Windrush Justice Programme and convene a policy working group with key stakeholders in collaboration with the ARE team.

Policy:

• Support the Windrush Policy team to convene a policy working group of key stakeholders and experts from grassroots groups, community lawyers and third sector organisations that are working on Windrush justice.
• Support the Windrush Policy Manager to organise parliamentary events and roundtables and represent ARE at appropriate external meetings.
• Maintain good relationships with ARE stakeholders including the grassroots groups on the Windrush Justice Programme, law centres and Third Sector organisations to ensure their input into ARE’s policy development and research.
• Work with ARE colleagues to produce briefings, collate data and share what’s happening with the wider Windrush landscape.
• Keep up to date with developments in public policy, legislation, best practice, relevant initiatives, and news on Windrush justice and racial justice.
• Contribute to ARE’s responses to relevant government consultations and working groups.

Communications:

• Support the Communications team to draft press releases, write blogs and create social media content.
• Support the Head of PR and Communications to manage press contacts and maintain positive relationships with print, radio and broadcast stakeholders.
• Take ownership of the Windrush Justice Programme extranet site (SharePoint communications), monitoring and updating it in a timely manner with input from the Windrush Policy Lead, WJP team and Head of PR and Communications Officer.
• Collate case studies from groups on the Windrush Justice Programme to demonstrate the impact of their work and illustrate the need for policy change.

Professional Development:

• Help to identify and support your own continual professional development and cooperate with performance appraisals.
• Contribute to the success of ARE by participating in performance management arrangements, fundraising and research proposals and by applying the principles and practices associated with equality in employment, equality in service delivery and health & safety in the workplace.
• Undertake any roles or tasks that are consistent with the level of this post or that fall within the scope of the role, thereby ensuring that the overall business and operational priorities of ARE are delivered in a timely and effective manner.

The post holder will have:

• Experience of social policy development or social research
• Experience of event and stakeholder engagement

Skills:

• Good written and oral communication skills
• Experience of policy analysis
• Ability to understand and analyse data
• Ability to work across organisational boundaries and develop constructive relationships with key stakeholders
• Effective interpersonal skills including influence, persuasion, assertiveness and sensitivity

Qualifications:

• Relevant degree qualification or equivalent experience gained from working.

Personal qualities:

• Ability to work on own initiative and as part of a team
• Highlight motivated with the ability to motivate others
• Able to prioritise workloads and complete agreed policy outputs
• Pro-active approach and skill in creative problem solving
• Proven IT skills including Microsoft Office 365 particularly Word, Excel, Teams and PowerPoint

Knowledge:

• Knowledge of the systemic issues affecting Black, Asian/Southeast Asian, and Mixed heritage communities.
• Awareness of the role of government and various government agencies in shaping policies and programmes affecting Windrush Justice.